The effect of ultraviolet B irradiation on nitric oxide synthase expression in murine keratinocytes

Nitric oxide (NO), which has several physiological functions in skin, is generated by NO synthase (NOS). NOS has at least three isoforms; endothelial NOS (eNOS), brain NOS (bNOS), and inducible NOS (iNOS). Ultraviolet B (UVB) irradiation has been reported to stimulate NO production in skin via induction or activation of NOS, however, the exact mechanism of NOS induction by UVB irradiation remains obscure. In this study, we investigated the direct effect of UVB on the expression of NOS isoforms in murine keratinocytes, and found a significant increase in NO production within 48 h. mRNA and protein expressions of bNOS were both enhanced by UVB irradiation in murine keratinocytes, whereas iNOS mRNA expression was suppressed at 4 and 12 h after UVB irradiation. These results suggest that the enhancement of NO production observed after UVB irradiation in murine keratinocytes may be explained in part by the upregulation of bNOS expression, but not iNOS expression.